"Is my chemistry book over there?" Emily asked.
"I don't see it." Spencer said, staring out the window.
"I don't think it would be outside, Spence." Katherine said, standing up to see what Spencer was looking at.
"What happened to the Cavanaugh's mailbox? Someone hit it?" Spencer asked.
"I'm over this town, everyone's treating Toby like he's a disease." Katherine said.
"It's not the first time. And I'm sure it wasn't an accident." Emily said.
"Wait, people constantly do that? That's so messed up." Katherine said.
"Every time I come home, Toby's out there cleaning up some new mess and please don't say he deserves it." Emily said.
"I wasn't gonna say that." Spencer said.
"Really? Because almost every word that comes out of your mouth is trash talking Toby." Katherine said.
"I haven't said in anything in days, Kat." Spencer said. "Is that it?" She said, pointing underneath the chair.
"Thanks." Emily said, picking it up.
"There's Toby. I should go help, bye." Katherine said, starting to walk out of the room.
"Wait, guys, do you still think that somebody framed him?" Spencer asked.
"Yes." Katherine said.
"Toby?" Emily asked and Spencer nodded. "Do we really wanna have this fight right now? You can go, Kat. We'll see you at school."
"Alright, see you." Katherine said, walking out. "Can I help?" She asked Toby as she stepped off of Emily's porch and walked over to him.
"Sure." Toby said, handing her some tools so she could help fix the mailbox.
"How are you doing?" Katherine asked, as she got to work.
"Fine, I guess. I've never been liked in this town but now I'm hated." Toby said.
"Everyone will realize that they were wrong soon, I promise." Katherine said.
...
"Are you reading that fast or fanning yourself?" Spencer asked as Hanna flipped page after page.
"Fan me too, it's so hot in here." Katherine said, moving to be by Hanna.
"What? Oh, sorry." Hanna said, noticing that Katherine was next to her now. Katherine laid her head down and closed her eyes, she desperately needed a nap. But she fell off the edge of the couch when Hanna got up and left.
"Ouch." Katherine said, getting back up and on the couch.
...
Katherine caught up with Spencer in the hall and went to Ian's office with her.
"Hey, you're a little early. Hey, Kat." Ian said.
"I just wanted to tell you that I'm not coming to practice today." Spencer said.
"Why not?" Ian asked.
"I have another commitment." Spencer said.
"You know, why don't you come in, close the door." Ian said.
Katherine made a move to go inside the office but Spencer held her arm and pulled her back.
"I can't stay." Spencer said.
"No, come in." Ian said. Spencer sighed and let go of Katherine as they walked inside the office. "You know, what are you trying to pull here, Spencer? You're gonna tell your parents you can't stand to be on the same field with me, so you're quitting the team?"
"I'm not quitting the team, I just have this the thing." Spencer said, as Katherine sat down in Ian's chair and spun herself around a few times.
"You can't avoid me. I live in your backyard." Ian said.
"Well, this isn't about you. Look, I'm too concentrated in athletics and it doesn't look good on my college applications so I just need to balance out my schedule." Spencer said.
"Knock, knock." Melissa said, opening the door and stepping inside.
"Hey, Melissa." Katherine said, still spinning herself.
"Hey." Ian said.
"Sorry to interrupt." Melissa said.
"I thought you had a marketing seminar." Ian said.
"The professor cancelled. I brought the tile samples. The contractor needs a decision." Melissa said.
"Oh, great." Ian said.
"I like those ones on top, they're cute." Katherine said, stopping the chair and facing everyone.
"Bye." Spencer said, trying to get out of the room.
"I think your sister's quitting the team." Ian said, as Spencer walked out.
"Why?" Melissa asked, before Spencer could get away.
"I'm not quitting the team. I'm just doing some tutoring." Spencer said.
"Well, anyone in particular?" Ian asked.
"Toby Cavanaugh." Spencer said.
"What, Spence, you can't be serious. You constantly criticize me for being friends with him." Katherine said.
"Well, that's changed." Spencer said.
"What?" Melissa and Ian asked, simultaneously.
"I signed up to help him with his French." Spencer said.
"I can't believe that this school would let anyone near him, especially alone." Melissa said.
"Hold on, Kat, you said you're friends with him?" Ian asked.
"Well, yeah." Katherine said.
"Spence, why are you doing this?" Ian asked.
"Kat, why are you friends with him?" Melissa asked.
"I already told you." Spencer said.
"He's not what everyone thinks." Katherine said.
"What is this really about? That kid murdered one of your best friends." Melissa asked.
"I think he's innocent." Katherine said.
"Don't tell me you two are falling for that silent martyr crap. Okay, you can't believe a thing that creep says." Ian said.
"Well, Toby Cavanaugh hasn't cornered the market on lying." Spencer said. "I better go."
"Katherine, stay away from Toby Cavanaugh. He's dangerous." Melissa said.
"We just want you to be safe because we care about you." Ian said.
...
"No fucking way." Katherine said, walking into the Hastings home. "You were actually teaching him French? I was worried that you'd get all Spencery."
"Well, we said a few things in French and I gave him a book." Spencer said.
"So, you did get all Spencery." Katherine said.
"I guess, but I apologized for not believing him at first. I'm with you and Em on this now." Spencer said.
"Promise?" Katherine asked, holding her pinky out.
"Promise." Spencer said, wrapping her pinky around Katherine's.
...
"What are your thoughts on genetic modification?" Emily asked.
"Aren't scientists playing God? And how will it affect human health in the long term?" Spencer said, laying on Emily's bed and staring at the ceiling.
"So, I'm against it." Emily said, starting to write down her answer.
"He's different." Spencer said.
"Who's got the hots for Toby now?" Katherine asked, making Emily laugh.
"No, I meant he's different than I thought he would be." Spencer said.
"Right. When you guys get together, I want a hundred bucks." Katherine said.
"How have humans altered the genomes of species for thousands of years?" Emily asked.
"Through artificial selection." Spencer said. "There's something about him that's... I don't know."
"Wow, a question Spencer Hastings can't answer? Interesting." Emily said.
"Good thing Katherine Maybell can. You like him, Spence." Katherine said.
"Okay, Emily, it's not that interesting and for the record I do not like him." Spencer said, sitting up. "Am I finished with your homework?"
"You are. Thank you." Emily said.
"I keep trying to find a connection." Spencer said.
"To Toby?" Emily asked.
"To Alison and Toby. Me and Toby." Spencer said.
"Sometimes it's better to not know the truth." Katherine said.
"Said no one ever." Spencer said.
"Wrong, said me." Katherine said.
"We're pretty sure he didn't do it, right?" Spencer asked. "And yet somebody found a way to make him look extremely guilty."
"Spence, you can't figure all that out sitting on his porch conjugating verbs." Emily said.
"Well, you don't know what those verbs are." Spencer said.
"If he didn't tell you the first time, he probably can't." Emily said, as Spencer got her bag and got ready to leave. "Are you sure he even wants you to come back?"
"Yeah. I think he does." Spencer said.
"She so likes him." Katherine said to Emily when Spencer walked out.
"I'm not going down for this, Alison." Katherine said, watching the firemen help Jenna.
"Then what are we going to do, Kat? Toby could easily tell them that it was us." Alison said.
"No, he won't. Tell Toby that we took a photo of him and Jenna and that we'll send it and show it to everyone." Katherine said.
"I'll be right back." Alison said, walking up to Toby.
"What happened?" Jason asked, stumbling to where Katherine was.
"We aren't sure." Katherine lied. She hated lying to Jason but she didn't want to admit to him that they possibly hurt someone, that they blinded someone. She had no idea that Alison would completely throw her under the bus.
"Was anyone in there?" Jason asked. Katherine could smell the alcohol on his breath.
"I think so." Katherine said, pushing her nails into her arm as she lied.
Roses are red, violets are blue. Wait until Toby hears the truth about you! -A
Katherine froze when she read the message. Was A talking about the truth about the night of the Jenna thing? She took a deep breath and put her phone away, she couldn't let it get to her.
She walked up to Spencer and Melissa and put a smile on her face. Toby would never know that blaming him was her idea, she'd make sure of it.
"Want a button?" Melissa asked, holding one out.
"Sure, thanks." Katherine said, pinning it to her shirt.
"Hotdog?" Ian offered and Katherine happily took one. "I put on a ton of ketchup already, I know how much you love it."
"You're the best." Katherine said, taking a bite out of the hotdog. "I think I'm gonna go inside with Ian." She said, wanting to be far away from the Hastings sisters fights.
Ian wrapped an arm around Katherine's shoulder and they walked inside the building. But Ian only took a minute to call Melissa over, seeing her get in Spencer's face.
"I'll see you when it starts." Katherine said, wanting to spend some time with Ian and Melissa.
She had to keep her friendships balanced. She had spent a lot of time with Spencer so now Melissa and Ian needed some time with her, it was her best way to stay out of any sort of fight. Katherine hated picking sides when it came to them. Spencer, Melissa, and Ian were all huge parts of her life. Melissa had helped her grow into a woman who was smart and knew how to hold her own. Ian had helped her learn to defend herself and be able to know everyone and everything. And Spencer had helped her grow, as a person and as a friend.
...
"When's Emily gonna start?" Hanna asked.
"She's the anchor, she swims last because she's the fastest." Aria explained.
"Hey, remind me, which one's Bridget and which one's Lindsey." Caleb said to Hanna.
"Bridget's the one drinking from her purse." Hanna said.
"I'm gonna go say hi to Bridget." Katherine said, moving to get up.
"Save it for later." Spencer said, pulling Katherine back down.
"I'll be right back." Caleb said, smiling at Hanna.
"Tell Bridget that I need her." Katherine said.
"Don't." The other three girls said simultaneously, making Katherine roll her eyes.
"Why are we sitting with Caleb?" Aria asked, when Caleb walked away.
"Who cares? Caleb's cool." Katherine said.
"Kat's right. Why not?" Hanna said.
"Hanna, I like stray dogs too but sometimes they bite." Spencer said.
"Okay, well, he's had his shots." Hanna said. "Go, Emily!"
"She's not swimming yet." Aria said.
"Go, Em!" Katherine yelled once Emily jumped into the water.
Emily touched the wall first and everyone immediately stood up, cheering for Emily Fields.
...
"Kat, can I ask you something?" Hanna said, as they drove to Hanna's house.
"Of course, what's up?" Katherine said.
"How come nobody has ever gotten involved or called social services for you?" Hanna asked.
"I don't want them too. I like my life. The Kahn's and the Hastings' take care of me." Katherine said.
"I know, but it's weird that nobody has. I mean, this town loves you." Hanna said.
"It helps having a cop as a friend, Han." Katherine said.
"Garrett?" Hanna asked.
"Yeah."
...
"Aria will talk when she's ready." Katherine said, sitting next to Hanna on the steps.
"I just wish that was now." Hanna said, leaning her head on Katherine's shoulder.
"I know." Katherine said, giving Hanna a kiss on the top of the head. "She'll come around."
"Question." Caleb said, walking up behind them.
"What's up?" Hanna asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
"The towels in the bathroom, are they like the fancy people are coming over towels?" Caleb asked.
"No. No, you can use them." Hanna said.
"I don't have to. I can shake off and air dry." Caleb said.
"Please don't." Hanna said.
"Just go take your shower, Caleb." Katherine said.
"What's going on?" Caleb asked, walking down to where they were and sitting on the other side of Hanna. "You want me to leave?"
"It's not about you." Hanna said, not bothering to get the tear streaks off her face. "Aria's really, really mad at me." She said, as Katherine rubbed her shoulder. "You know that thing I told you not to leak?"
"She found out anyway?" Caleb asked.
"Wait, Caleb knew?" Katherine asked.
"Who do you think broke her car?" Hanna asked.
"Oh my god." Katherine said, giving Caleb a high five. "Sorry, bad timing." She said, going back to rubbing Hanna's shoulder.
"She's never gonna speak to me again." Hanna said.
"Hey, that's not true. Aria will get over it." Katherine said.
"You don't have to sit here and listen to this. Just go take your shower." Hanna said to Caleb.
Caleb stood up but sat right back down. "It can wait."
Katherine got a feeling that she was third wheeling, something she's gotten way to often, and told Hanna that she was going to let them talk. She gave Hanna one more kiss on the head and went to Hanna's bedroom.
Aria has Ezra. Hanna's getting close to Caleb. Spencer's starting to like Toby. Emily's getting close to Paige. Who do you have? Not Jason! -A
"That's just mean." Katherine said to herself, reading the text over and over again.